9 Jun 2009

Architects claim real estate agents making false claims about house designs

7:33 pm on 9 June 2009

The New Zealand Registered Architects board says some real estate agents are falsely claiming houses have been built by registered architects, for commercial gain in advertisements.

The board says the advertising claims create a false expectation about quality, which is unfair to buyers and prompts hundreds of complaints.

President Richard Harris says the issue arises too frequently.

The board has set up an online service where potential home buyers can check whether a person claiming to be an architect is the real deal.

The Real Estate Institute of New Zealand says there are too many variations of the title, such as architectural designers and draughtsmen.

It says architects appear to be having an identity crisis and suggests they come up with a better definition of their title.

The Architects Institute and the Real Estate Institute are expected to meet to discuss the issue over the next fortnight.